Ratchet tool



May 30, 1961 G. L. ROCK 2,986,248

RATCHET TooL Filed Jan. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE L. ROCK BY May 30, 1961 G. L. ROCK 2,986,248

RATCHET TOOL Filed Jan. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 OR. ET g. ll WENT GEORGE L. ROCK BY Unidefe Param '0 RATCHET rooL George L. Rock, Jonesville, Mich., assgnor to Vaco rholdncts Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of ons Filed Jan. 1s, 1951, ser. No. 634,883

z claims. (ci. 19a-44) This invention relates to hand tools; to a reversible ratchet type tool such as a screw driver and the like; and particularly to animprovement in the ratchet mechanism and control therefor in such tools.

Ratchet tools of this type are known, but more often than not they require a great number of working parts of large and heavy construction in order to withstand the stresses to which the parts are subjected. Attempts to use lighter parts to withstand the usual turning forces have resulted in slipping between parts, deformation of structure, and ultimate breakdown of the entire ratchet mechanism.

Further, in .tools such as bit braces, drills, wrenches and the like having standardized chucks and other tool bit receiving devices, the ratcheting mechanisms are specially designed and arranged for use with these particular tools. To apply such ratchet mechanisms to smaller hand tools, such as screw drivers, has been found not practical because of the objectionably large sizes of the mechanisms which are unduly cumbersome and obtrusive on small tools. In a restricted space, the tool may even be useless because of the large size of the ratchet parts. And, to reduce these known tool bit receiving devices and ratchet mechanisms to such size that they could be employed in smaller hand tools also has proved to be impractical, since it has been found that when the parts are proportionally smaller in size they are not able to stand up under normal loads or to function correctly to do the work they were designed for as larger parts.

In contrast, the present invention provides a ratchet tool which uses only a minimum of parts, and which transmits turning forces principally by compression loads on the several parts which lthereby are able to withstand greater forces although the parts comprise a minimum of structure.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide -a ratchet tool mechanism which is of compact and sturdy construction, which requires only a minimum number of working parts, and which is capable of transmitting extremely high turning forces without experiencing mechanical breakdown.

Another object of this invention is to provide a highly efficient, but simple in design reversible ratchet mechanism for hand tools, said mechanism having an improved control which allows mechanism reset using only the lingers of the hand in which the tool is held. y

The foregoing land other objects, advantages and features of construction will be more apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the assembled ratchet tool comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the same;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ratchet mechanism parts;

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Figure 4 is a perspective view of the control sleeve for said mechanism;

Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5--5 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 in Figure 2;

Figures 7 through l0 are sectional views similar to Figure 6 showing the ratchet mechanism in different positions of operation; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the same section line as Fig. 6 but with the elements in the position of operation shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the tool 11 comprises a handle 12 having a concentric bore 13 with an enlarged bore 14 at its outer end. A cylindrical sleeve or housing 15 is fixed within bore 13 and has an end portion 16 extending outwardly therefrom, there being provided between the wall of bore 14 and the outer circumferential surface 17 of housing 15 a short annular cavity 18. A pin 19 extends perpendicular from housing 15 and into cavity 18.

Housing 15 is provided with a concentric bore 20, the outer end 21 of which is threaded. Housing end portion 16 is provided with a longitudinal axially extending slot 22 which communicates from bore 20 to circumferential surface 17. An annular groove 23 is cut in circumferential surface 17, intersecting slot 22 midway between its ends. A short peg 24 is set into housing 15 within annular groove 23. The outer portion 20a of bore 20, beginning at slot 22, is enlarged slightly, thus providing a shoulder 25 at the junction of bores 20, 20a.

A ratchet member 26 is adapted for rotatable seating within housing bore 20. Ratchet 26 comprises a cylindrical body 27 with a plurality of longitudinal axially extending grooves or utes 28 separated by a plurality of longitudinal axially extending ratchet teeth 29 which act as eamrning surfaces, as more fully explained hereinafter. Axial movement of ratchet 26 within bore 20 is limited by ratchet teeth 29 which extend slightly beyond the surface of cylindrical body 27 to about shoulder 25 and align utes 28 and teeth 29 with slot 22, the length of utes 28 and teeth 29 being slightly less than the length of slot 22.

A cylindrical roller 30 having a diameter less than the width of slot 22 is mounted freely within slot 22 for seat ing in any ilute 28 positioned therebefore, the flutes being circular in section, and of such diameter as to nestingly receive roller 30 therein. The width of slot 22 while be, ing such as to allow lateral movement of roller 30 therein Ratchet member 26 further is provided with a pair of coaxial bores 33, 34, separated by a partition 34a having a substantially rectangular shaped aperture 35 therein. The innermost end of bore 33 is provided with a cover 37 having a generally U-shaped spring clip 38 xed to its inner face such as by peening or beading metal on cover 37 over the clip head. The legs 39-39 of clip 38 are sprung towards each other and are adapted to receive the head 40 of a working tool shank 41 therebetween. The tool shank head 40 is provided with a dished annular groove 42 which receives and is gripped by the opposed ends of spring 38 to releasably retain tool shank 41 in position. Tool shank head 40 is shaped similar to aperture 35 to pass therethrough to spring clip 38, while the axial positioning of the shank is limited by a shoulder 4 3 which is engageable with partition 34.

A cylindrical control collar or sleeve 44 is fitted rotatably upon the end portion 16 of housing 15, whereby covering slot 22, roller 30 therein, and ring spring 32. The internal circumferential surface 45 of sleeve 44 is arranged circumjacent the housing outer peripheral surface 17, and further is provided with two longitudinal axially extending grooves 46, 47 angularly displaced from each other by an internal surface portion 48. The sleeve innermost end portion 49 is sized to t within annular cavity 18 and has provided at its peripheral edge three angularly spaced apart notches 50, 51 and 52, adapted to selectively engage pin 19 therein. Engagement of notch 50 with pin 19 positions groove 46 in the region before slot 22, engagement of notch 51 with pin 19 positions groove 47 in the region before slot 22, while engagement of notch 52 with pin 19 positions sleeve internal surface portion 4S before slot 22. The circumferential width of each of the grooves 46, 47 approximates the width of slot 22. However, in use, engagement of notches 50, 51 with pin 19 actually does not position their respective grooves 46, 47 directly before slot 19, but instead also positions a part of sleeve internal surface portion 48 before the slot.

The outer end of sleeve 44 is provided with a slightly enlarged bore 53, the position of sleeve internal surface 45 with bore 53 forming an annular shoulder 54. A knurled portion 55 is provided on the outer circumfer ential surface of sleeve 44 to facilitate rotatable adjustment of sleeve 44 relative to housing 15 and pin 19.

A capping member 56 is provided to retain sleeve 44 in position, the member having a shank 57 threadably engageable in housing bore end portion 21. A washer spring S is anchored between sleeve annular shoulder 54 and the lid 59 of member 56, thereby yieldably urging sleeve 44 within cavity 18 and against pin 19. Thus, axial movement of sleeve 44 is limited between pin 19 and lid 59. Capping member 56 and its shank 57 are provided with a bore 60 suitable to allow tool shank 41 to pass therethrough to spring clip 3'8. Keying apertures 60a are provided in lid 59 for mating engagement with a tool, facilitating turning of member 59.

The limits of rotatable adjustment of sleeve 44 are controlled by pin 19. As best seen in Figure 4, the unrelieved peripheral edge portion 61 of sleeve portion 49 exends axially a greater distance than does the portion 62 wherein notches 50, 51, 52 are cut. Thus, the edges 63, 64, of notches 50, 51, respectively, act as stops; since although sleeve 44 is axially movable to rotate from a position whereat one of its notches engages pin 19 to another position whereat another notch engages pin 19, its axial movement is not suicient to allow edges 63, 64 to pass before pin 19.

Assembly of the hereindescribed mechanism is accomplished in the following manner. Ratchet member 26 is seated within housing bore 20, and roller 30 is positioned within slot 22, after which split ring spring 32 is seated in annular groove 23 to maintain roller 30 yieldably against the utes 28 and teeth 29. Sleeve 44 then is mounted on housing end portion 16 so as to overlie slot 22, washer spring 58 is seated in sleeve bore 53, and thereafter capping member 56 is threaded into position to maintain the entire mechanism is assembled condition.

Referring to Figures 6 through l0, operation of the tool mechanism is as follows. As described hereinabove, sleeve 44 is adjustable to any one of three positions. In the two extreme positions ratcheting is permitted. The sleeve intermediate position (Fig. 7), however, locks out the ratchet mechanism so that the device functions as an ordinary tool. To deactivate the ratchet mechanism, sleeve 44 is adjusted to have its notch 52 engaging locking pin 19 therein. This positions sleeve internal surface portion 48 before slot 22, thereby locking roller 30 against radial movement (Figs. 7 and 1l). Thus, torque from handle 12 is transmitted through housing 15, either wall 65 or 66 of slot 22 (depending upon the direction of the turning force), to roller 30 which is lockablyY seated 4 in a ute 28 of ratchet member 26 which carries tool shank 41.

Figure 8 shows tool setting for transmitting a clockwise drive to tool shank 41, while allowing ratcheting as handle 12 is turned clockwise. Briey, this setting is achieved by engaging pin 19 in sleeve notch 51, thereby positioning sleeve groove 47 in the region adjacent slot 22. As shown in iFigure 8, that portion of groove 47 overlying slot 22 is greater in width than the diameter of roller 30, while a portion of internal surface 48 also overlies slot 22. Clockwise movement of handle 12 moves housing 15 to bring slot wall 66 clockwise into engagement with roller 30 which is locked against radial movement by that portion of sleeve surface 48 over slot 22. This, in turn, transmits clockwise drive torque to ratchet member 26 and tool shank 41. However, with the same control sleeve setting, rotation of handle 12 counterclockwise a1- lows housing 15 to rotate slightly relative to ratchet member 26 until slot wall 65 engages roller 30 and moves it counterclockwise and radially outwardly to enter cutout 47, as best seen in Figure l0. Further counterclockwise rotation of housing 15 urges roller 30 to ride idly into and out of the flutes 28 in driven member 26, thereby allowing the handle 12 to rotate counterclockwise without transmitting torque through 26 to tool shank 41.

Similarly, Figure 9 shows a tool setting for transmitting drive to the tool shank in a counterclockwise direction, while permitting ratcheting as the handle 12 is turned clockwise. In this setting sleeve 44 is positioned to engage its notch 50 with pin 19, thereby positioning groove 46 in the region of slot 22. Counterclockwise movement of handle 12 is transmitted through housing 15, slot wall 65 to roller 30 which is locked against radial movement by that portion of sleeve surface 48 positioned before slot 22. This, in turn, transmits counterclockwisc torque to ratchet member 26 and tool shank 41. With the same sleeve setting, rotation of handle 12 clockwise moves housing 15 slightly relative to member 26 until slot wall 66 engages roller 30. Thereafter, continued clockwise rotation of handle 12 allows the successive ratchet teeth 29 to cam roller 30 outwardly, against the action of spring 32, and into sleeve groove 46, thus transmitting no torque to member 26.

It thus can be seen that the hereinabove described device provides a highly efficient, but simple in design, reversible ratchet or selectively operable clutch mechanism, including only four principal parts; namely, a rotary drive 15 having a pawl retaining means or cage 22 therein, a torque transmitting roller pawl 30, rotary driven member 26 having ratchet teeth thereon selectively lockably engageable with the pawl 30, vand a control 44 for selectively locking pawl 30 with said teeth to transmit torque in one direction while permitting ratcheting without any torque transmission in an opposite direction. The parts are so digned that the greater portion of the turning forces are transmitted as compression forces, thus enabling the parts to withstand great loads. The control 44 further provides an easy means for adjusting the ratchet mechanism using only the hand in which the tool is held. Merely by urging sleeve 44 axially away from handle 12, using only the thumb on the hand in which the tool is held, and thereafter rotatably adjusting the sleeve, using a flicking action actuated by the thumb, the desired tool setting being quickly achieved with a minimum of eort.

Modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, the scope of which is dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand tool comprising a cylindrical driving member having a bore and a concentric axially elongated roller slot, the driving member also having an external circumferential spring channel intersecting the roller slot, spring-stop means fixed with said driving member and extending into and blocking a section of the spring channel opposite its point of intersection with the roller slot',

a cylindrical driven member rotatably mounted within said bore and having a series of circumferentially spaced peripheral locking grooves registrable with the roller slot, a cylindrical locking roller ci-rcumferentially and radially movable within the roller slot into and out of any locking groove registering therewith, a light split-n`ng spring mounted within the spring channel for yieldably urging the locking roller inwardly into any l-ast said locking groove, the split-ring spring having a gap between its ends dimensioned to receive the said spring-stop means, engagement between the split-ring spring ends and the spring-stop means so limiting rotational movement of the split ring in the spring channel that substantially the medial portion of the spring length is opposed to the roller slot to cause the two halves of the spring to act together .in yieldingly urging the locking roller inwardly, the locking roller having an intermediate external circumferential spring channel which receives the opposed portion of the split-ring spring, the said inward urging of the locking roller being through the bottom of the last said channel, and a cylindrical control sleeve surrounding the split-ring spring and closely surrounding the driving member to restrain the locking roller lagainst radial movement out of an occupied locking groove to thereby lock the driven member for rotation with the driving member, the control sleeve having in its internal surface at least one Iaxially extending longitudinal groove alignable with one side of the roller slot to permit circumferential and radial movement of the roller upon rotation of the driving member in one sense to unlock the driven member from the driving member.

2. A hand tool consisting of :a cylindrical driving member having a bore and a concentric axially elongated roller slot, the driving member also having an external circumferential spring channel `intersecting the roller slot, spring-stop means iixed with said driving member and extending into and blocking a section of the spring chan nel opposite its point of intersection with the roller slot, a cylindrical driven member rotatably mounted Within said bore and having a series of circumferentially spaced peripheral locking grooves registrable with the roller slot, a cylindrical locking roller circumferentially and radially movable within the roller slot into and out of any locking groove registering therewith, a light split-ring spring mounted within the spring channel for yieldably urging the locking roller inwardly into any last said locking groove, the split-ring spring having a gap between its ends dimensioned to receive the said spring-stop means, engagement between the split-ring spring ends and the spring-stop means so limiting rotational movement of the split ring in the spring channel that substantially the medial portion of the spring length is opposed to the roller slot to cause the two halves of the spring to act together in yieldingly urging the locking `roller inwardly, the locking roller having an intermediate external circumferential spring channel which receives the opposed portion of the split-ring spring, the said inward urging of the locking roller being through the bottom of the last said channel, a cylindrical control sleeve surrounding the split-ring spring and closely surrounding the driving member to restrain the locking roller against radial movement out of an occupied locking groove to thereby lock the driven member for rotation with the driving member, the control sleeve having in its internal surface at least one axially extending longitudinal unlock groove alignable, upon rotation of the control sleeve, with one side of the roller slot to permit circumferential and radial movement of the roller upon rotation of the driving member in one sense to unlock the driven member from the driving member, a locating pin extending outwardly from the driving member at one end of the control sleeve, the control sleeve having a series of circumferentially spaced radial notches for receiving the locating pin, one of the notches being so located as to receive the locating pin when the unlock groove is in the said operative location with rcspect to the roller slot, and spring means surrounding the drive member for lightly urging the control sleeve endwise against the locating pin.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,087,315 Packer Feb. 17, 1914 1,436,640 Blevney Nov. 28, 1922 1,559,097 Hill Oct. 27, 1925 1,878,053 Winger Sept. 20, 19'32 2,228,888 Rock Jan. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,023,045 France Dec. 24, 1952 

